Mobile boat carrier



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 26, 1961 wx on INVENTOK, WILLIAM THOMAS Ami 0L1) ATTO REE Y5 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H I IH H' I I I I IH I I I Aug. 25, 1964 w. T. ARNOLD MOBILE BOAT CARRIER Filed Jan. 26, 1961 INVENTOK WILLIAM THOMAS AIQJOLD BY ATTOIQJEYS.

25, 1964 w. T. ARNOLD 3,145,364

MOBILE BOAT CARRIER Filed Jan. 26, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I q8 q7 34 I07 no I06 INVENTOK,

WILLIAM THOMAS AKN OLD BY ATTORNEYS ground.

3,145,864 Patented A g- 1964 3,145,864 MOBILE BOAT CARRIER William T. Arnold, RR. 1, Elgin St, Newmarket,

Ontario, Canada Filed Jan. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 85,958 16 Claims. (Cl. 214-396) This invention relates to a mobile boat carrier and more particularly to a novel construction of a boat carrier having a structure which can be selectively adapted or varied to carry boats of various sizes, lengths and floated into loading position and then raised by the carrier mechanism to a load position, or the carrier, with the boat supported thereby may be driven into the water whereby the boat may be floated off the carrier. Hence, it is not necessary to employ a separate device such as a crane to remove a boat from the water and place it on a carrier for transporting on the land, although there may be conditions when a crane will be required.

A further object is to provide a boat carrier equipped for level support of a boat during the raising, lowering and transporting operations thereby minimizing the possibility of damage to the boat by the supporting parts of the carrier, especially when the boat is carried over uneven The foregoing and other features, which will become readily apparent from a reading of this specification are obtained by a boat carrier constructed in accordance with v my invention which comprise a pair of horizontal frame members held in spaced relation by a telescopic crossmember joining oppositely disposed ends of the frame where necessary. However, the frame members, A, B, may be each made in one piece. The ends of the outer sections which are identified by the numerals 3 and 4 are joined together by a telescopic cross-member C, consisting of cylindrical members 5, 6 and 7 which are rotatable relative to each other and which are arranged for relative telescopic movement so that the space between the frame members may be selectively increased or decreased according to the beam of the boat and so that one frame member may rotate with respect to the other one to accommodate the rise or fall of the front portion of one frame member, A or B, when the carrier travels over uneven ground. One of the frame members, A, B, is rotatably connected to one end of the telescopic crossmember C to accommodate the rise of the front portion of one frame member, A, B, when the carrier travels over uneven ground. A boat 8 is shown as being supported between the frame members A, B, the stern being adjacent the rear end of the carrier, by means of a bow sling 9 and a stern sling 10 carried by the frame members.

The ends of the bow sling 9 are wound on winches 11 and 12, one end on each winch, and the ends of the stern sling 10 are wound on Winches 13 and 14, one end on each winch, the four winches being power driven to raise or lower the .boat. The winding on winch 11 travels down. wardly from the winch, under idler pulley 15, horizontally parallel to cylindrical member 5, around pulley 16,

horizontally parallel to frame member B while being guided by pulley 17, under idler pulley 18, vertically and then over idler pulley 19 to under the boat 8 from whence it returns by a similar path marked by pulleys 20, 21, 22,

23 and 24 to winch 12. The stern sling 10 travels from the end attached to the winch 14 by way of pulleys 25,

.126, 27 and 28 and by way of pulleys 29, 30, 31 and 32 to the end which is attached to winch 13.

The .carrier is powered by an. internal 7 combustion engine 33 mounted on bracket 34 which is supported from .the cylindrical member 5 and having a driving connection with suitable transmission 35 therefore, the transmission being controlled by lever 36. A master clutch pedal 37 shown on the operator platform 38 controls a usual clutch (not shown) for engaging or disengaging transmission 35. Mounted on the transmission drive shaft is sprocket. 39 which drives a driving sprocket 40 by means supplied to extend or retract the telescopic cross-member and to drive the rear wheels and the hoisting. mechanism.

For a better understanding of my invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying illustrative drawings, in which,

FIGURE 1 is aplan view of the carriersupporting a boat;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation View of .the carrier and boat shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a rear end elevationofthe carrier show- I ing the different power means relative to each other and to the telescopic cross member; 5 FIGURE 4 is a cross section of the hoisting mechanism, on a larger scale, taken onthe line 4+4-of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURES 5 and 6 are cross sections of the telescopic cross-member taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1 to show the same in fully retracted and fully extendedpositions respectively.

- In FIGURE 1, the carrier has a pair 'of spaced apart frame members A, B, each frame member-comprising a fixed outer section forming a sleevel and an-inner extensible section 2 which is slidably mounted in the outer section,,section 2 being shown in a partly extended position.

of chain 41. Sprocket 40 ha driving connection with rear wheel 42 suspendedin brace 43 which is mounted on section 1 of frame member Bbelow the end 4 thereof and rear wheel 44 suspended in brace 45 which is mounted to section 1 of frame member A below the end 3 thereof, as shown in FIGURE 3. i i

In FIGURE 3 sprocket 40, driven by sprocket 39 through chain 41, is mounted on shaft 48 which rotates in bearings 49. and 50 supporting the ends thereof, the bearings being supported by braces 51 and 52 mounted .to the under side of bracket 34. Mounted on shaft 48 is a brake and clutch assembly 53 separately and inde- .e.g.-the brake andclutch mechanism similar to that used in a, tractor. On one end of brake and clutch' assembly 53 is mounted sprocket 55 and on the oppositely disposed end of brake and clutch assembly 54 is mounted sprocket 56 spaced apart from sprocket 55. Connected to sprocket :55 is chain 57 driving sprocket 58 mounted on one end of bearing 59 which is supported by pinion shaft 60 being rotatable therein and having one end connected to one end of flexible universal joint 61. A shaft 62 is connected to the other end of universal joint 61, which shaft 62 is arranged to rotate with shafts 63 and 64, the

' three shafts being connected in sleeve relationship so that shafts 63 and 64 slidably move to register with the extension or retraction of telescopic cross-member C. The end of shaft 64, nearest rear wheel 44, is connected to one end of a flexible universal joint 65 which is connected at its other end to pinion 66 having pinion gear 67 mounted at the end thereof for engagement with bull gear 68 mounted on the hub assembly of rear wheel 44. The flexible universal joints are employed to ensure that any inharmonious movement of the rear wheels caused by uneven ground over which the carrier may travel will not injure the driving connection disposed laterally between the wheels.

To drive rear wheel 42, chain 69 connected to sprocket 56, drives sprocket 70 mounted on the pinion shaft 60 connected to universal joint 61. This pinion shaft drives wheel 42 by means of pinion and bull gears as in the case of wheel 44.

By using a separate and independent clutch and brake assembly for each rear wheel, the carrier operator may turn the carrier by braking one wheel and driving the other. The assembly 54 is independently actuated by clutch lever 74 and a brake lever (not shown), such levers being connected by usual linkage to control lever 75 as shown in FIGURE 2. The control lever 75, when moved in the direction of the arrow through slot distance 73, disengages the clutch and when further moved actuates the rear wheel brake. In a similar way, the assembly 53 is independently actuated by the clutch lever 71 and a brake lever (not shown), the levers being connected by the usual linkage to the control lever 72.

The front wheels 76 and 77 supporting the carrier are usually smaller than the rear wheels and each has a castor-like mounting 78 to the section 2 of each frame member as illustrated in FIGURE 2. Such mounting permits response to the change of direction of the carrier caused by the clutching and braking action on the rear wheels.

A toothed gear 79a is mounted on mounting 78 for each front wheel and a spring urged tongue 79b engageable with gear 79a is attached to section 2 of each frame member. The tongue 79b is connected to one end of cable (or rope) 80 which has its other end connected to locking lever 81. Another cable connection is provided for the other front wheel which is connected to lever 81. The length of the cables connecting the tongues 79b to the single lever 81 can be increased or decreased at lever 81. The lever 81 actuates tongues 79b to lock the front wheels in position so that the carrier may be driven into or backed out of a space confined by retaining walls which only allow a small clearance between the carrier and the wall. Without this locking device, the front portion of the carrier may sway sideways and strike the wall, resulting in damage to the carrier.

It should be evident that the foregoing description utilizes common tools and mechanism which may be modified. For instance the rear wheel having lateral movement due to the extension or retraction of the cylindrical members may have its brake and clutch assembly mounted on a shaft having one end rotatably fixed in a bearing attached to cylindrical member 7 and arranged for telescopic connection with another shaft driving the brake and clutch assembly mounted thereon for the other rear 1 wheel and having one of its ends in a bearing attached to cylindrical member 5. Suitable drive chains and sprockets should be provided to drive the telescopic shaft which in turn would drive the rear wheels separately and independently by means of suitable gears.

The hoisting mechanism is shown in FIGURE 4 with winches 11, 12, 13 and 14 mounted on shaft 82 which is rotatably supported at one end by bearing 83 supported by bracket 34 and at the otherend by bearing 84 mounted on gear assembly 85. Driving the shaft 82 is a gear 86 mounted on shaft 87 which is pinned to shaft 82 by pin 88, gear 86 engaging with gear 89 for driving connection therefrom. Gear 89 is mounted on one end of shaft 90 having mounted on its other end sprocket 91 which is driven by chain 92 in driving connection with sprocket 93 having driven connection with transmission 35 as shown in FIGURE 1.

As shown in FIGURE 4, shaft 82 is connected by key 94 to winch 13 for direct driving thereof, winch 13 being connected by pin 95 to winch 14 for driving thereof. By removal of this pin, winch 14 may be manually operable by simple gearing (not shown) actuated by crank-handle 96. Winches 11 and 12 are differentially driven by loose bevel gears 97 mounted on opposite ends of arm 98 which is fast on shaft 82.

The winch mechanism is operated so that the boat is raised level. To accomplish this, the carrier is partly driven into the water so that slings 9 and 10 are hanging freely under the bottom of a water-borne boat in spaced relation relative to the bow and stem so that the boat will be properly balanced. Since the rear end of the carrier is built to have a greater load carrying ability than the front end, it is advisable to load the boat onto the carrier so that the major portion of the weight of the boat will be borne by the rear end of the carrier. All four winches are then simultaneously driven to raise the slings until one sling embraces the hull of the boat. Usually, one sling will contact the bottom of the boat before the other, in which case the power driving of the winches is stopped and winch 14 is manually operated to adjust the rear sling in order that both slings will embrace the boat at the same time. After such adjustment, the winches are again power driven to raise the boat for transporting of same. The carrier is then backed out of the water and driven over land.

During the travelling over land, one front wheel of the carrier may be elevated by uneven ground above the height of the other front wheel causing a corresponding rise of the frame member supported thereby. To prevent a greater tension on one section of the front sling than on its counter-part, the differential permits rope to be fed from one winch of the pair differentially driven to the section whereupon an equal length of rope will be simultaneously taken up by the other winch of the pair. Hence the boat should remain level during the transporting operation as the rear sling will be unappreciably affected by the difference in height of the front wheels.

Of course the rear wheels may also be subjected to a height difference by uneven ground but it should be apparent that the tension stresses in the rear sling will remain substantially the same.

The means employed to extend or retract the telescopic cylindrical members for selectively varying the space between the frame members are known and a general description follows with reference to FIGURES 5 and 6. Within cylindrical members 5, 6 and 7 is a cylinder 99 having one end 100 mounted centrally on the inside end face of cylindrical element 5 and containing a piston 101 for slidable and rotatable movement therein. The piston is attached to one end of rod 102 which passes through liquid-sealed opening 103 located in the other end 104 of cylinder 99 and which has its other end attached to the inside end face of cylindrical member 7. Hydraulic liquid fills the cylinder and enters and leaves the cylinder by ducts 105 and 106 when delivered by any suitable pump (not shown). To extend members 6 and 7, liquid is delivered to the cylinder through duct 106 forcing the piston to move away from end 100 of cylinder 99. The movement of the piston expels liquid on the rod side of the piston 101 out of the cylinder through duct 105, the amount of liquid leaving equalling the amount of liquid entering the cylinder, rod 102 moving through the liquid sealed opening 103 thereby extending telescopic elements 6 and 7 which may take the fully extended position as shown in FIGURE 6. By reversing the liquid flow, members 6 and 7 may be retracted to the fully closed position in FIGURE 5. The total distance travelled by the elements 6 and 7 is fixed by 'pre-deter'mined lengths of ropes (or chains) 107 and 108. Rope 107 has one end attached to eye 109 fastened to the inside Wall of member 7 at the end thereof and the other end attached to eye 110 similarly fastened to member 6 and rope 108 hasone end attached to eye 110 and its other end anchored to the inside end face of member 5.

The sections of the frame members are also extended or retracted simultaneously by similar hydraulic means as shown by the cut away section 111 of FIGURE 2. Although hydraulic means have been described, other known means, such as screw or cable mechanisms, may be employed.

The position of the boat in the carrier depends principally upon the boats weight. In FIGURES 1 and 2, the boat is shown with its stern supported by the rear sling which will be the case when the weight of the boat approximates the weight capacity of the carrier. In this way, the main portion of the boats weight, usually in the stern, is supported by that part of the carrier which has been constructed to bear the heavier part of the boat. In cases where the boat is of relatively light weight, the boat may be positioned fore and aft corresponding to the front end rear of the carrier, if desired.

It is important that the power means, driving connections and winch mechanism be located so as not to interfere with the movement of the frame members in the vertical plane. An example of such location is shown in the drawings of this application.

Modifications and variations to my invention should be apparent from the foregoing disclosure and drawings but it is intended that all such modifications and variations be included in the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A mobile boat carrier comprising a pair of spaced apart horizontal frame members, a telescopic cross member joining the oppositely disposed ends of the frame members, means for rotatably connecting one of said horizontal frame members with the other of said frame members, said means including said telescopic cross member, a pair of power-driven rear wheels supporting the frame members at the ends below the cross member, a pair of caster-like front wheels supporting the other ends of the frame members, power means telescopically moving the cross member, whereby the spacing between the frame members may be selectively varied, a plurality of boat support members carried by the frame members, a power-driven hoisting mechanism mounted on the cross member and operatively connected to the support members whereby the support members raise and lower the boat, and power means driving said power driven wheels and said hoisting mechanism.

2. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 1, in which the cross member is a series of cylindrical elements slidably arranged in sleeve relationship, and the power means for telescopic movement is situate within said elements.

3. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 1 in which the frame members are extensible and retractable and additional power means are provided for moving each frame member between an extended and retracted position.

4. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 3 in which each frame member consists of at least two elements in slidable arrangement and the additional power means is situate within said frame member.

5. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 1, in which one of the frame members is fixedly connected to an end of the cross member.

6. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 1 in which said hoisting mechanism comprises a plurality of winches arranged in pairs and mounted in side-by-side relation on a horizontal shaft and having a driving connection therewith, said shaft being driven by said hoisting power means, and cable wound on each winch, the cable from 6 V each pair of winches being connected to the ends of each support member.

7. A mobile boat 'carrier as defined in claim 6 in which each support member is a fiexiblesling disposed laterally said differential means equalizing the tension in the cables connected to the respective-support member.

9. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 2 in which said hoisting mechanism comprises a plurality of winches arranged in pairs and mounted in side-by-side relation on a horizontal shaft and having a driving connection therewith, said shaft being driven by said hoisting power means, cable wound on each winch, the cable from each pair of winches being connected to the ends of each support member, means for manually operating one winch of one of the pairs permitting manual adjustment of said support member to level the boat and a differential drive mounted on said shaft between and driving another pair of winches, said differential means equalizing the tension in the cables connected to the respective support member.

10. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 1, comprising separate driven connection with said power means to independently drive each rear wheel, separate and independently actuated clutch means for each driven connection and separate and independently actuated brake means for each rear wheel.

11. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 10 in which said clutch and brake means for each rear wheel are actuated by a single lever.

12. A mobile boat carrier comprising a pair of spaced apart horizontal frame members, a telescopic cylindrical cross member disposed laterally and at right angles to the frame members joining opposite ends thereof, means for rotatably connecting one of said horizontal frame members with the other of said frame members, said means including said telescopic cross member, power means telescopically moving the cross member, a pair of independently power-driven rear wheels supporting the frame members at the end below the cross member, power means driving the rear wheels, separate driven connection with said power means to independently drive each rear wheel, separate and independently actuated clutch means for each driven connection, separate and independently actuated brake means for each rear wheel, a pair of castor-like front wheels supporting the other ends of the frame members, a plurality of boat support members carried laterally by the frame members, a hoisting mechanism comprising a plurality of winches arranged in pairs and mounted in side-by-side relation on a horizontal shaft and having driven connection therewith, cable wound on each winch, the cable from each pair of winches being connected to the ends of each support member, and power means driving said hoisting mechanism whereby the support members raise and lower the boat.

13. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 12, in which the cross member is a series of cylindrical elements slidably arranged in sleeve relationship, and the power means for telescopic movement is situate within said elements.

14. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 12, in which the frame members are extensible and retractable and additional power means are provided for moving each frame member between an extended and retracted position.

15. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 12 having means for manually operating one winch of one of the pairs permitting manual adjustment of said support member to level the boat and a differential drive mounted on said shaft between and driving another pair of Winches, 2,520,835 said differential means equalizing the tension in the cables 2,597,673 connected to the respective support member. 2,603,369

16. A mobile boat carrier as defined in claim 12, in 2,773,614 which said clutch and brake means for each rear Wheel 5 2,931,664 are actuatedby a single lever. 2,998,150

References Cited in the file of this patent 8 England Aug. 29, 1950 Ritter et a1. May 20, 1952 Soderstrom July 15, 1952 Edwards Dec. 11, 1956 Morling Apr. 5, 1960 Larsen Aug. 29, 1961 OTHER REFERENCES Circular by Popular Mechanics Magazine, published Circular by Travelift and Engineering, Inc., received by United States Patent Office September 1959.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 September 1953- 1,728,519 Tuerck Sept. 17, 1929 2,377,201 Baird May 29, 1945 2,444,690 Almendinger July 6, 1948 

1. A MOBILE BOAT CARRIER COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED APART HORIZONTAL FRAME MEMBERS, A TELESCOPIC CROSS MEMBER JOINING THE OPPOSITELY DISPOSED ENDS OT THE FRAME MEMBERS, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY CONNECTING ONE OF SAID HORIZONTAL FRAME MEMBERS WITH THE OTHER OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS, SAID MEANS INCLUDING SAID TELESCOPIC CROSS MEMBER, A PAIR OF POWER-DRIVEN REAR WHEELS SUPPORTING THE FRAME MEMBERS AT THE ENDS BELOW THE CROSS MEMBER, A PAIR OF CASTOR-LIKE FRONT WHEELS SUPPORTING THE OTHER ENDS OF THE FRAME MEMBERS, POWER MEANS TELESCOPICALLY MOVING THE CROSS MEMBER, WHEREBY THE SPACING BETWEEN THE FRAME MEMBERS MAY BE SELECTIVELY VARIED, A PLURALITY OF BOAT SUPPORT MEMBERS CARRIED BY THE FRAME MEMBERS, A POWER-DRIVEN HOISTING MECHANISM MOUNTED ON THE CROSS MEMBER AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE SUPPORT MEMBERS WHEREBY THE SUPPORT MEMBERS RAISE AND LOWER THE BOAT, AND POWER MEANS DRIVING SAID POWER DRIVEN WHEELS AND SAID HOISTING MECHANISM. 